DotW 15: Changing Gears

[ToddG]

Please read the rules before participating in this thread.

Week 15: Changing Gears
results may be posted until 11:59pm EST on Monday 16-January-2012.

Range: 5yd or 7yd
Target: two 3x5 cards and one 8" circle
Start position: varies (see below)
Rounds fired: 48

This DotW is intended to practice engaging different size targets at appropriate speed: go fast when you can, go slow when you must.

If you're confident you can hit a 3x5 card at 7yd, perform the drill at that distance. Otherwise, try it at 5yd.

Start with an 8" circle target (we'll call this target Middle). Place a 3x5 card one foot above and slightly to the left of the circle (we'll call this Left), and another 3x5 card one foot above and slightly to the right of the circle (we'll call this Right).

On the beep, engage the targets as quickly as you can guarantee hits. Each string of fire you'll shoot eight total rounds. There are six strings of fire. You will engage the targets in the following order:

1. two rounds to Left, two rounds to Middle, two rounds to Right, two rounds to Middle again
2. 2 Middle, 2 Right, 2 Middle, 2 Left
3. 2 Right, 2 Middle, 2 Left, 2 Middle
4. repeat #1
5. repeat #2
6. repeat #3

Every time you engage a target zone, you shoot it twice.
You always engage the 8" circle twice each string (2 shots each time for a total of four).

Please report the following when you post your results in this thread:

• distance (5yd or 7yd)
• starting position (ready position, open holster, retention holster, or concealed)
• time and hits for each string
• aggregate time and hits for all six strings

Training with firearms is an inherently dangerous activity. Be sure to follow all safety protocols when using firearms or practicing these drills. These drills are provided for information purposes only. Use at your own risk.[/QUOTE]

[ToddG]

I decided to run this with both the laser and irons. My first runs were... unpleasant.

laser: 4.33, 3.88, 4.29, 4.47, 3.94, 4.11 (25.02, 6 misses)
irons: 4.35, 4.11, 4.17, 4.46, 3.89, 4.56 (25.54, 6 misses)

After a mental reset and reminder that the drill called for "as fast as you can guarantee hits" I tried again.

laser: 4.22, 3.91, 4.15, 4.12, 3.92, 4.44 (24.76, 1 miss)
irons: 4.41, 4.54, 4.62, 4.36, 4.13, 4.22 (26.28, 3 misses)

[jthhapkido]

It was 49 degrees out today. Insane. (For Nebraska in January, at least.)

I ran this from my USPSA Production rig, using my carry G17 from a Blade-Tech DOH.
Targets were at 7 yards.
S1: 4.62 -2
S2: 4.18
S3: 4.36
S4: 4.30
S5: 4.36 -1
S6: 4.34 -1
Total Time: 26.16 s
Total Score: 44/48
Average Time: 4.36 s

Running some stats, the difference between drawing to the card and drawing to the circle was (on average) 0.18s.
Splits on the card were 0.19s slower on average, though transitions to the card were only 0.04s slower on average. (Yes, I'm a math nerd, among other things.)

I blew those two shots (one on each card) on the first string and still had my slowest time. Trigger control issues, as usual. Matter of fact, in the video below you can probably pick out every single one of the shots that I missed in this drill.



Good drill!

[EmanP]

Gen 3 G17 from concealment, 7 yards. As soon as I got done I knew I did it too slow. Felt slow and the target proved I was being conservative with guaranteeing hits. I could probably take .5 sec off without trying too much. I seemed to be doing a horrable job of changing gears and everything was shot at 3x5 speed.

5.25/6.07/5.21/4.80/5.01/5.25 (31.59, 1 miss and I know I yanked it)

[BN]

Distance 7 yards. Concealed, Gen 3 G-17 in a Comp-Tac holster under an open front fleece vest.

5.86, 5.86, 5.73, 5.07, 4.80, 4.97 (32.29 2 misses, both on the 8" circle)

[Mr_White]

7 yards
Concealed, closed-front shirt, AIWB, Gen3 G34
String times and hits: 4.86c, 5.13 -1, 4.26 -2, 4.28 -1, 4.55c, 4.59c
Aggregate time and hits: 27.67, 44/48

[IMG] Changing_Gears by OrigamiAK, on Flickr[/IMG]

Comments: I liked that this drill defeated any emotional attachment I might have had to a 'good score', because I had no idea what a good score for it is, and I didn't try to calculate what I think I 'should' shoot. So, I just shot.

If I have time later in the week I might shoot it again. I experienced two points of inefficiency. My transitions on this were weak! It was a small mental burden to shoot the targets in the varying order specified in the drill. Transitions downward were repeatedly required but something I don't recall ever practicing. I noticed a number of moments where I either delayed the transition or found myself beginning to transition to the wrong target and then correct myself. I also broke grip to reload after shooting two to the 3x5 in one of the strings. This drill didn't go very smoothly for me mentally and I felt like I left a lot of time on the table from that mental disorganization. But, it could have been a lot worse! I'll take what I got.

[wJAKE19]

5yds, concealed,
5.17 (-1) first shot
5.09
4.97 (-1)
4.46
4.68
3.97 (-1) 8" target

[JV_]

7 Yards
Concealed
JRC AIWB Holster (review to come soon)
Glock 19 - Gen4
Untucked Polo

1. 4.53 -1
2. 5.32 Clean
3. 5.00 Clean
4. 4.90 Clean
5. 5.02 Clean
6. 4.93 Clean

Total Time: 29.7s (-1)

[CCT125US]

* distance: 7yds
* starting position: concealed AIWB HKP30V3
* time and hits for each string:

S1. 5.82, 1.88 .64 .60 .34 .85 .58 .61 .32 (-1)
S2. 5.20, 1.50 .34 .71 .54 .54 .32 .72 .53 (-1)
S3. 5.91, 1.88 .67 .60 .34 .97 .55 .59 .31 (clean)
S4. 5.51, 1.71 .59 .62 .30 .85 .61 .55 .28 (clean)
S5. 5.29, 1.48 .38 .71 .49 .54 .30 .78 .61 (clean)
S6. 5.49, 1.82 .56 .53 .28 .80 .55 .64 .31 (clean)

* aggregate time and hits for all six strings:

33.22, 46/48

Got my misses out of the way early and cleaned up my act. On strings 1,3,4 and 6 my time from holster to index card should have been faster, but I was more focused on accuracy. I know I could shave off at least 3 sec. if I burned it down....

As a side note I shot some Bill drills and got splits in the .25 range, which has never happened before with this gun. Still not sure if it is my vision or the gun at this point. I have a heavy trigger return spring to install, but I am just waiting on the recoil assembly to arrive.

I also shot 3 of my best FAST in a row: 5.32, 5.82, 5.23

[NC Buckeye]

It looks like I am the slowest, least accurate guy to admit he tried it...

distance: 5yd
starting position: ready position, open holster

S1. 6.26 -2
S2. 6.07 -1
S3. 5.97 -3
S4. 5.54 -1
S5. 5.67 Clean
S6. 5.91 -2

Total: 35.42 (-9) = 39.92

In the interest of full disclosure, I forgot to write down my last shot on string 4, which caused me to fail to do it on 5 & 6 too. To give a decent estimate I added my splits from 1, 2 & 3 so the total time should be conservative.

Additionally, I should have reshot it because of my large number of misses, but I didn't bring enough targets or ammo to re-shoot it and still get done what I needed.